NFC playoff picture: Giants are in, but much is still to be determined

The New York Giants are in the 2022-23 NFC playoffs. Yes, it’s real. Keep saying it to yourself until you believe it. You didn’t dream it. Brian Daboll and the Giants actually will be playing Wild Card Weekend.

Thing is, who the Giants will play is up in the air.

A wild NFL Week 17 Sunday saw the 13-3 Philadelphia Eagles lose to the New Orleans Saints, a second straight loss that put them in danger of both failing to secure the top seed in the NFC and failing to win the NFC East. The Green Bay Packers routed the suddenly shaky Minnesota Vikings. The Detroit Lions stayed alive for a playoff spot. The Carson Wentz-led Washington Commanders were eliminated by the Cleveland Browns.

Here is the current NFC playoff picture:

No. 1 — Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
No. 2 — San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
No. 3 — Minnesota Vikings (12-4)
No. 4 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8)
No. 5 — Dallas Cowboys (12-4)
No. 6 — New York Giants (9-6-1)
No. 7 — Seattle Seahawks (8-8)

Also in contention:
Detroit Lions (8-8)
Green Bay Packers (8-8)

Right now, the Giants would travel to Minneapolis for a rematch with the Vikings, who beat the Giants 27-24 in Week 16 on a last-second field goal. That seems the likely scenario, though it is still possible the 49ers could end up with the third seed. For the two teams to flip flop seeds, the Vikings would have to beat the 3-13 Chicago Bears and the 49ers would have to lose to the 4-12 Arizona Cardinals.

The weirdest part of Sunday’s Giants-Eagles game is that Philadelphia, looked at as the best team in the NFC most of the season, now desperately needs to win it. If they lose, the Eagles could fall all the way to the No. 5 seed. The Giants? Should coach Brian Daboll choose, he could rest many of his starters. The Giants are locked in to the No. 6 seed regardless of what happens in Week 18.

The seventh seed is up for grabs between the Seahawks, Lions and Packers.

Via NFL.com, here are all of the Week 18 NFC playoff scenarios:

Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) (vs. New York Giants (9-6-1), TBD)

Philadelphia clinches NFC East division title with:

1. PHI win OR
2. DAL loss

Philadelphia clinches NFC No. 1 seed, home-field advantage and NFC’s lone first-round bye with:

1. PHI win
2. DAL loss + SF loss

San Francisco 49ers (12-4) (vs. Arizona Cardinals (4-12), TBD)

San Francisco clinches NFC No. 1 seed, home-field advantage and NFC’s lone first-round bye with:

1. SF win + PHI loss

Dallas Cowboys (12-4) (at Washington Commanders (7-8-1), TBD)

Dallas clinches NFC East division title with:

1. DAL win + PHI loss

Dallas clinches NFC No. 1 seed, home-field advantage and NFC’s lone first-round bye with:

1. DAL win + PHI loss + SF loss

Green Bay Packers (8-8) (vs. Detroit Lions (8-8), TBD)

Green Bay clinches a playoff berth with:

1. GB win

Detroit Lions (8-8) (vs. Green Bay Packers (8-8), TBD)

Detroit clinches a playoff berth with:

1. DET win + SEA loss

Seattle Seahawks (8-8) (vs. Los Angeles Rams (5-11), TBD)

Seattle clinches a playoff berth with:

1. SEA win + GB loss